Paré-Desbief European Hospital

It took six studies and 252 million Euros investment in works to see the merger between the Paul Desbief (160 beds) and Ambroise Paré (240 beds) hospitals and their transfer to the new European hospital which opened its doors end August 2013 in the Villette (3rd) district.

Commissioning of this ultra-modern hospital has restored balance to healthcare distribution in Marseilles, today concentrated in the Southern districts, which grouped almost 72% of hospital beds for 46% of the Marseilles population before delivery of the facilities. The hospital, designed by the architects Carta & Associés and Rigal & Bargas, is one of the first to receive the new HQER tertiary building-health care establishment label.

It spreads over five levels in three large blocks structured around a “medical street” in the shape of a set square which fits closely with part of the rue Melchior Guinot layout. The complex has a 630-space underground car park (on three levels) and 680 m2 of solar panels on the roof. This system must be able to cover 75% of the hospital’s hot water requirements. And an uncommon aspect for this type of construction is that the entire premises benefit from natural lighting from daylight.

To look after the population, almost a thousand employees and 300 private practice doctors work there daily. The Fondation Ambroise Paré has invested almost 50 million Euros to equip the hospital with state-of-the-art equipment, including for example surgical robots used to carry out micro-invasive surgery that is less restrictive for patients.

Euroméditerranée provided strong support for this project:

• The Euroméditerranée Board of Directors agreed to a 5.8 million Euro financial effort to support investment in the equipment. This effort focussed on the reduction of the price of the property tax given the public nature of the hospital and its structuring contribution in restoring balance to the health care offer in the Northern districts.
• The rue de Ruffi was reclassified to improve access to the hospital
• The areas surrounding the hospital, pavements, public areas, underground station entrance and roads have been fully renovated by the developer.